Car-coupling.



l.- H. MILLIKEN.

CAR GOUPLING.

APPucATloN FILED 1m11.191s.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

:man Prrns m. 'Harn-urna. msnm UNITED STATES Pe'rENT @ma ISAAC H. MILLIKEN, OF ASPINWTALL, PENNSYLVANIA, ASIGNOR TO THE MCCONWAY &

- TORLEY COMPANY, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- sYLvANIA. 1,213,396.

To all lw kom it may concern Be it known that I, ISAAC H. MILLIKEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Aspinwall, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new ,and useful Improvements in Car- Couplings; and` I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the construction of car couplers and especially to those in which the coupler head is pivotally mounted on the coupler stem so as to be capable of lateral swinging movements with respect to the latter. The tendency on the part of some railroads to use heavier coupler heads', heavier knuckles and other coupler parts, consequently results in increasing the length of the coupler head from the pulling face rearwardly to the 4pivot or connecting pin attaching the head to the stem, thus increasing the ordinary overhang of the head beyond the carry-iron. This greater weight and overhang increases the tendency of the head to droop on thegstem, especially as the pivot pin becomes worn from service.

The primary object of the invention is to provide simple, durable and eiiicient means which are particularly adapted for yieldingly resisting the tendency of long and heavy coupler heads to droop with respect to their stems when the pivots or connecting pins by which these parts arejconnected become worn as a result of service. This object is accomplished by means which it is practical to so position that they will not interfere with other devices usually mounted ona car adjacent to the coupler, said means being at the same time to a large extent protected against injury and breakage. The means employed also serve to greatly reduce the rate of wear of the pivot pin or connection between the coupler head and stem.

Generally stated, the invention, both in its broad and in its speciiic aspects, is embodied in a combination involving a coupler head, a coupler stem, means for pivotally connecting said head and stem so as to permit the former to swing laterally with respect to the stem, and means for yieldingly resisting drooping of the head in the direction of the pivotal axis of the latter, said Specification of Letters Patent.

GAR-COUPLING. i

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

Application filed January 11, 1916. Serial No. 71,528.

ferred embodiment of my invention, the

scope whereof is pointed out in the claims: Figure l is a plan View of a car coupler exhibiting the invention, a portion of the couplerfstem being omitted and portions of' the car framing being illustrated in order to show the relation of the devices thereto. Fig. 2 is a side/elevation of the car coupler illustrated in Fig. 1, neighboring parts of the car structure being shown in vertical section..

The portions of the car structure which are illustrated in the drawings are the center sills, 1, 1, the buffer casting or platform end casting 2, the buffer plate 8, and the foot plate 4. A well known form of carry iron 5, which passes under the coupler stem to afford a support for the coupler is also illustrated. These parts are not'features of the invention herein claimed.

6 is the coupler head and 7 is the coupler stem. These parts are pivotally connected so as to permit the coupler head to swing laterally in a horizontal plane, the means for connecting them preferably being a vertically extending bolt or pivot pin 8 which passes through corresponding circular openings in the coupler head 6 and coupler stem 7 in the usual manner.

lVhile I have illustrated a particular form of coupler stem it is to be understood that the specific details thereof as illustrated in the drawing are not material and that the term coupler stem is employed in a generic sense throughout the specification and claims. l

Mounted upon the coupler stem 7, preferably upon the upper side thereof, is a coiled spring 9 which at its forward end cooperates with a stop or abutment 10 that is preferably made as a separate casting which is riveted to the coupler stem proper. Between the spring 9 and the spring abutment 10 a washer 11 is preferably interposed. Passing through the spring abutment 10, through the washer 11, and through the interior of the coiled spring 9 is a longitudinally extending inextensible bar or rod 12 which bears at its rear end a Washer 13( the part 12 is preferably fashioned With a hook 15 Which passes 'through an eye or opening 16 in a lug 17 that is rigidly, and preferably integrally, attached to the upper face of the coupler head;y The opening through the spring abutment l0 is made sufficiently large to permit the rod l2 to move or swing sideivise so as to'accommodate itself tothe lateral oscillations off' the coupler head ivith- 'respect to the coupler stem. As will be readily understood the Operative length ot the member l2 which forms the connection between the spring 9 and coupler head Gmay be adjusted by a proper manipulation of the nut 141., the pressure ot the-spring 9 being thereby also capable of being varied to suit requirements.

The means vfor preventing drooping. oi' the coupler head, being positioned -betiveen the coupler stem and the portion ofthe car which is above the same, will not interfere With other devices which are commonly mounted upon a. car adjacent to the coupler. Moreover, the position of the parts'is such that t-hey are not apt to be struck and thereby damaged. Furthermore, the force Which prevents the droopingotl the coupler head is bythese devices applied in such manner that the pressure between the coupler head G andthe pivot pin 8 is greatly reduced and the iveai' on the pivot pin is consequently lessened.

That I claim is:

l. In a. car coupler, the combination ivith a coupler head, ot a. coupler stem, means for pivotally connecting said head and stem so as to permit said head to swing laterally with respect to said stem, and springniechanism extending in the direction of length of the coupler stein and engaging said head to the rear of its pivotal connection With said stem and constituting means for yieldingly resisting drooping of said head in the direction of its pivotal axis.

:2. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler Ahead, of a coupler stein, means for pivotally connecting said head and' stein so as to'permit said head toswing laterally withV respect to said stem, and yielding means engaging the upper portion of the coupler head at a point removed fromits axis of pivotal connection With said stem and constituting means extending in the direction of lengthy of said coupler stenifor vieldingly resisting drooping of said head. 3. In a car coupler, the combination with av coupler heathrof a coupler "stein, means for pivotally' connecting said head and stem so as to permit said head to 'swing laterally and serving toyieldiiigly resist droopingof said head in the dii'ection'ofits pivotal# axis.

el. In a 'car coupleig' the combination With a coupler head, of ai coupler stem, means for pivot-ally'connecting said'head andstem so as to pei'init'saidhead toi'swing laterally with respect' to said stem, and means for yieldinglv lresisting drooping of said head in the directioiiol its' pivotal axis, said means for resisting drooping of the head involving a Vvspring mounted on the exterior of said stem andext'eiiding in the direction ot length thereon. and a rigid member'operativel'y interposed between said spring and said head.

In a. car coupler, the combination with a coupler heath' of a-coupler stein means for pivotally connecting said head and stein so as to permit said: head to sivingl laterally with respect to said stem, and `means for vie'ldinglv resisting drooping. of said head in the direction of 'its pivotal axis, y"said ISAAC H'. MILLIKEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents eacli, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatent'm Washington, D. C. 

